Trump Threatens to Cut Financial Support for Palestinian Authority

Donald Trump says the United States may stop its financial aid to the Palestinian Authority. The U.S. President claims that Palestinian officials 'no longer have the desire for peace negotiations [with Israel].' On January 1, he stated, 'When the Palestinians no longer have the desire for peace negotiations, why should we continue these massive payments to them?' The U.S. provides over $300 million annually to Palestinian officials to cover ongoing expenses in the West Bank and Gaza, areas where most Palestinian citizens reside. During his presidential campaign and afterward, Mr. Trump had made promises regarding efforts to create peace between Israel and the Palestinians. However, last month's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the U.S. embassy to the city faced widespread criticism, including from U.S. allies. The Israeli government praised this decision. Most countries around the world do not recognize Israel's territorial sovereignty over the entire city of Jerusalem. Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has controlled the western part of Jerusalem, and the eastern part was taken from Jordan during the 1967 war and has been occupied by Israel. Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, described Mr. Trump's action as a 'crime' and stated that his credibility in the Middle East peace process has been called into question. However, the U.S. government claims that countless ways to achieve peace have been tested without results, thus it is time to adopt a new approach. Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters in New York that Trump has decided to cut aid 'until the Palestinians agree to return to the negotiating table.'